Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1887-11-16

The question Of insect enemies to
crops is becoming one Of serious inn
portance. The increasing number OF
of chinch bugs fer the past two years
is being considered barrier to the
production of small grain in the region
now infested by them. But farmers
should recollect that the past is no
guide for tae future, unless the same
conditions exist. And this article ID
prompted by the receipt of letter
from a large farmer, inquiring our
opinion as to the probable continuance
of this chinch bug pest. Some ag-
ricultural writers are consoling farm
ers with the idea that if they will cease
raising wheat, oats, barley and rye for
a few years, the chinch bug will be
starved out, and will disappear. This
is not according to the history of this
bug. Prot. Webster who has studied
their history in Louisiana and other
Southern States, where little or no
small grain is raised. says the chinch
bug is as abundant there as in the
north and attacks corn and other green
vegetation. And yet it is clearly adj
visabie not to SOW small gram Of any
kind where this bug ravaged this year.
There is no telling what the future
of any one year may be relative to this
past. They flourish in dry years. II
the coming winner should be continued
snow, cold and dry, and next spring
and summer be only reputition of the
past two seasons. it may be reasonably
calculated that the chinch bug, aided
by three continuous years favorable to
their production, will be so numerous
as to create pretty near panic in this
country. But on the contrary, if the
coming winter should be an open one,
with few rains and with the usual
frequent drenching rains in the spring
and summer, this bug .will be so nearly
destroyed as to be no trouble next
year. No one can predict, or make
any reliable calculation for the future
as it depends entirely upon the weather,
and even Foster fails in fortelling what
it is to be. But precedent and obser-
walton inspire with the belief that next
year there will be nearly as much
trouble from too much water, as in the
past from too little water and too many
bugs. The whole history of the world
shows that the farmers have at certain
periods been beset by one insect pest.
to be succeeded in other years by
others, probably worse. And it will
probably be SO to the end. The Prophet
Joel wished it not to be forgotten that
these insect pests were to last forever.
In Joel 1, 4 and 5, we are told: sTell
We your children of it, and let your chill
dren tell their children, and their chill
dren another generation, that which
the palmer worm left, hath the locust
| eaten; and that which the locust hath
left hath the cankerworm eaten; and
that which the cankerworm hath left
hath the caterpillar eaten"
| And that has been about the routine
of the destruction of crops ever since.
Instead of the chinch bug next year
there is just as much probability that
the army worm will destroy the crops.
The chinch bug fourishes in dry sea-
sons, and the ar NY worm in wet sea-
sons. The country is also more in dan
ger of the inroads of the mountain
grasshopper in dry seasons. But the
vast hordes of insect plaques are suited
to all seasons and situations and it has
not yet been revealed to man to foretell
their times and seasons.